In the Midst of Truth

Verification and Ideology Dynamics for Indonesian Journalists

Kencana Ariestyani

Department of Communication, Universitas Paramadina, Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: news-story verification, post-truth era, digital journalism, phenomenology

Abstract: This study examines journalists in terms of how they interpret the process of verifying information in the

post-truth era. Nowadays, mass media tend to comply with the interests and policies of the media owners.

This phenomenon is likely to increase, particularly if the media owners hold a position as a chairperson of a

political party. This situation often contradicts the journalists’ personal beliefs. At the same time, the

journalists are required to decide whether to follow the editorial policy or to uphold their values. This study

aims to investigate the experience of journalists in the process of verification in the post-truth era.

Therefore, the research question is: how must the journalists’ experiences in the verification process be

interpreted? Moreover, amidst the overwhelming exposure to information in the digital age, journalists tend

to spend more time looking for news updates rather than verifying new facts. A media phenomenology

method will be used in this research. The main focus of this study is the experience of the informants. The

results of this research show that journalists tend to follow the ideology of the media owners with economic

imperatives being the reason.

1 INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, mass media tend to comply with the

interests and policies of media owners. This

phenomenon is likely to increase, particularly if the

media owner is a chairperson of a political party.

Altschull (1984) cited in McQuail (2005, p. 226)

states that news media content always reflects the

interests of the media owners. Owners of market-

based media seems to have ultimate power over the

content of the news so they can determine which

news content should be included or not. Meanwhile,

a journalist also has personal values that they

uphold. Indeed, these personal values can affect their

journalistic work. Thus, the contradiction between

the personal values of journalists and the ideology of

the media owner occurs frequently. Journalists are

required to decide whether to be obedient to the

editorial policies or to uphold their personal values.

In the post-truth era, these circumtances are

complex, where personal and emotional beliefs take

precedence in shaping public opinion over true facts.

In fact, in the mass media industry, journalists need

the true facts to tell news-stories. Journalists also

need data to convey accurate information. Especially

amidst the overwhelming exposure to information in

the digital era, hoax and fake news are increasingly

widespread. For this reason, verification of

information before writing news-stories is becoming

ascendant. This is before we even consider if the

news content, which will be written, contradicts the

personal beliefs of journalists yet is in line with the

ideology of the media owner.

This study aims to investigate the experience of

journalists in the process of verification in the post-

truth era. Therefore, the research question is: how

must journalists’ experiences in the verification

process be interpreted? Moreover, amidst the

overwhelming exposure to information in the digital

age, journalists tend to spend more time looking for

news updates rather than verifying new facts.

2 NOTION OF POST-TRUTH

ERA, VERIFICATION AND

IDEOLOGY DYNAMICS

In the post-truth era journalists are challenged to

uphold their professionalism and not implicate

emotions and personal beliefs in their journalistic

work. Medeiros (2017, p. 23) even asserts that in

Ariestyani, K.

In the Midst of Truth.

DOI: 10.5220/0008816200270031

In Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs (ICoCSPA 2018), pages 27-31

ISBN: 978-989-758-393-3

journalism, post-truth represents a threat and an

opportunity. Consequently, a professional journalist

should always obtain qualified information and

realise that the components of news ethics such as

verification and accuracy as well as balance are

highly related to their profession (Hoxha, 2016, p.

5). Therefore, verification should be done first by a

journalist. They have to verify whether the

information is trustworthy, then write it clearly so

that the public can understand it efficiently (Kovach

and Rosenstiel, 2004, p. 21). However, journalists

not only deal with facts – professional ethics dictate

that journalists must remain objective – but also

assess and verify facts (Martin, 2014, p. 5). Even

Patria (2017, p. 7) emphasises the importance of

critical thinking in addition to the ability to verify

information due to the fact that journalistic

investigation cannot stop at a single layer of fact. He

states that the first layer of facts may be misleading,

but the second layer, after the authentic facts have

been dug up comprehensively, will reveal other

truths. In brief, journalists should seek the truth and

tell it as completely as possible while shaping their

sense of critical thinking when putting facts into

news-stories.

Ideological positions and arguments have an

impact on the ethics of journalism in real terms. The

impact is not only visible in the media and amongst

the public they serve but also in the argument

between journalists about personal beliefs, political

beliefs, and loyalty. Even every day, both in the

newsroom and outside work, every journalist carries

with them emotional and intellectual attitudes

toward their source and audience, as well as the

news they report (Hirst & Patching, 2005, p. 29). It

will vary among journalists, depending on the family

background, education and friends, as well as the

area and environment in which they were raised.

In journalistic work, every journalist makes

important decisions about which events or

phenomena and issues are to be reported and which

are not. Vivian (2001, p. 239) even asserts that

journalists bring personal values to their journalistic

work and therefore determine which story to tell and

how it is written.

Although journalists have an important role in

deciding what makes the news (Vivian, 2001, p.

247), the ruling elite in the media they work for has

the power to determine the nature of the news

coverage. Unfortunately, media owners rarely admit

that they manipulate news coverage for their own

economic interests (Vivian, 2001, p. 248). Thus

clashes of ideology between journalists and media

owners occur frequently. Journalists who are

bothered by this condition have three choices

(Vivian, 2001, p. 248) whether to persuade the

media owner of their wrong way, obey the media

owner's directions, or quit and move to a more

respectable media.

3 RESEARCH METHODS

This research uses a phenomenological method. The

phenomenological approach is often called the

interpretive paradigm (Lindlof, 1995, pp. 27-58 cited

in Kuswarno, 2007, p. 3). The study of

phenomenology aims to examine and describe a

phenomenon as experienced directly by humans in

their daily lives (Crotty, 1996; Spiegelberg, 1978;

van Manen, 1990 cited in Asih, 2005, p. 1) or the

experiences of the subjects (the respondents

participating in the research) and how they interpret

their experiences (Hasbiansyah, 2008, p. 178).

Christensen, Johnson, and Turner (2010) cited in

Simon and Goes (2011, p. 1) state that the main

purpose of a study using phenomenology is to

explain the meaning, structure, and group of people

around certain phenomena.

The phenomenological framework requires

relatively homogeneous participants. Therefore,

individuals participating in phenomenological

research should have experience with the same and a

significant phenomenon in terms of the phenomenon

under investigation (Cresswell, 2007; Moustakas,

1994, cited in Yuksel & Yildirim, 2015, p. 9). In this

phenomenological study, the method of data

collection primarily involves in-depth interviews

with the participants. The purpose of the in-depth

interviews is to describe the meaning of phenomena

shared by the participants (Marshall & Rossman,

2006, in Yuksel & Yildirim, 2015, p. 9). The

subjects of this study are individuals related to the

research theme and willing to share their experiences

in interview. Data gained from the observations and

interviews were analysed using the

phenomenological analysis approach of Von

Eckartsberg (Moustakas, 1994, pp. 15-16, cited in

Hadi, p. 8) through these steps: (a) formulating (or

defining) the research question; (b) narrating the

data resulting from interview descriptively; (c)

analysing the data. The researcher reads and

examines data carefully to disclose the configuration

of meaning.

ICoCSPA 2018 - International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs

4 DISCUSSION

The phenomenological approach focuses on human

subjective experiences. This study reveals that the

experiences of research subjects in interpreting news

verification within the post-truth era are as follows:

4.1 Verification of Information is

Imperative

All respondents acknowledged that verification of

information is significant before it is conveyed to the

public. This is because verification is one tool to

ensure that the news delivered to audiences is true

and accurate: “It is important. Verifying news is a

part of the basic principles of journalism: check and

recheck, accuracy, and balance as well. That's what

distinguishes journalistic products with other

products” (R2).

Journalists realise that verification of information

should be done first to ensure that the information is

credible in order that the public understand it

efficiently as Kovach & Rosenstiel (2004, p. 21)

state: “Verification is crucial notably in the age of

information overload. We call it the inflation of

information. We should also be able to assess the

information whether the facts are true or hoax” (R4).

Hence a professional journalist should always get

qualified information and realise that the

components of news ethics such as verification,

accuracy and balance are highly related to his

profession (Hoxha, 2016, p. 5). Moreover, it is also

regulated in the Journalistic Code of Ethics that

journalists should not make up false news. In other

words, journalists must deliver news in accordance

with the true facts. Thus, it is essential to always

check and recheck the truth of the information. This

is the experience of journalists in terms of the

verification of information before writing it into

news-stories. However when verification is fulfilled,

sometimes journalists have other considerations in

conveying news: “There are some considerations

such as social conditions of society, timing and

context before we publish it” (R3).

Another journalist revealed that many people

think that news which has published in the online

news media is less verified – along their experience

in verification. People think that online news media

are more concerned with immediacy in delivering

news than verification. “But, actually, immediacy is

only part of our work, accuracy is also necessary

because in the following news we provide the

completeness of the initial data that had already

existed” (R1).

Online news media journalists emphasise that

immediacy does not mean they ignore accuracy and

verification because those two elements are

mandatory in journalistic work.

4.2 Information Verification Should be

Done with More than One Step

Verifying information is done through some steps by

journalists. They referred to it as confirmation with

many parties who are related to the issue being

investigated. This layered verification method

practiced by the journalist to keep cover both side on

the news-stories: “...cover both side, especially for

news that tends to discredit one party. We verify

with many parties related to that information,

particularly in the investigation... But obviously we

do it (verification) many times according to the

information we need” (R2).

In addition to covering both sides, notably for

controversial issues, journalists will also seek

experts’ help, if required, for verification for the

sake of truth in the information obtained.

This state is consistent with Patria’s (2017, p. 7)

dictum that journalistic truth should not quit at a

single layer of facts. Thus, critical thinking of the

journalists is crucial in addition to the ability to

verify information. Journalists should seek the truth

and tell it as fully as possible while sharpening their

sense of critical feelings when putting facts into a

news article.

In their experience, other journalists also stated

that verification is done at least in two layers.

Editorial and corporate policies that allow

contradiction between a journalist and a media

owner are the reason for this. However, if the

information obtained does not have a big impact for

the public, then they only do standard verification:

“...if the statements of the source or event in the field

has a big impact we will do a deep research at the

office before writing the news” (R1).

Moreover, the position and ideological argument

of journalists that has an impact on journalistic

ethics are debated often in the newsroom. This is

because personal values can affect their journalistic

work. All in all, this causes fear in the age of post-

truth, where personal and emotional beliefs take

precedence in shaping public opinion over true facts.

4.3 The Dynamics of Ideology Occurs

in the Newsroom

The contradiction between the personal values of

journalists and the ideology of the media owner

takes place frequently. This condition, however, is

In the Midst of Truth

considered reasonable as discussion is still possible

in the newsroom. Based on the experience of the

informant, personal values greatly affect their

journalistic work. One journalist asserted that he

decided to be a journalist to give a voice to the

voiceless and help less fortunate people: “I chose

this profession conciously because I feel I can help

people, defending the oppressed people through my

writing” (R2).

He seeks to convince his superiors of logical

reasons to shift the angle of writing once a

contradiction of personal values has taken place in

the newsroom. “So far, if we can explain and argue

with a logical reason they are willing to discuss”

(R2).

Every day, both in the newsroom and outside

work, every journalist carries with them emotional

and intellectual attitudes toward their sources and

audience, as well as the news they report (Hirst &

Patching, 2005, p. 29). Based on their experiences,

journalists sometime write news-stories that are in

line with their ideology or personal beliefs: “...we

can’t deny the writing taste of a journalist, suppose

he has affiliation with politics or other but it remains

in the corridor that can be accounted for. We check

the account before it is published to avoid

tendencious news content” (R1).

Meanwhile journalists working in the media,

whose owner may also be the chairman of a political

party, experienced a strong clash of ideology and

personal values. This condition occured when they

were writing political news. Although there is a

media owner's intervention when writing news,

verification and covering both sides of a story are

still done. However, sources who support the media

owner have a greater space in the news. “...supposed

the media owner complained to us because he didn’t

like the content of the news-stories that we had

written, then we change the angle and made the

news according to his direction in the next day.

Mostly, it happened in political news-stories because

it probably has a direct influence to him” (media

owner who is affiliated to a political party) (R4).

However, journalists refuse to write news-story

if the contradiction between personal beliefs and the

ideology of a media owner grow stronger. “...I’ve

experienced this when writing a news-story of a

political case that’s involving a name. I believe this

person is wrong, but people are talking about that,

they defend this person. At that time, I refuse to

write this because I believe what they told me is not

true”.

In journalistic work, every journalist makes

important decisions about what events or

phenomena and issues are to be reported and which

are not. Journalists bring personal values to their

journalistic work and, therefore, determine which

story to tell and how it is written (Vivian 2001, p.

239).

4.4 Journalists’ Tendency to Follow the

Ideology of the Media Owner if the

Condition of the Dispute is Still

Conducive.

Although the media owner highly interferes in the

newsroom to determine news-stories, journalists

choose to stay in the media where they are working

for various reasons. “If I still feel comfortable, then I

will stay. What I mean by being comfortable is the

team and the salary that I receive. Our condition

here is better than our colleagues in the other media

who often contradict with the ideology of their

media owner. I consider it a supportive team, so it

isn’t merely economic reasons. I am not eager to

move and start it again from the beginning” (R1).

However, when the ideology clash has violated

the basic principle that the journalists believe, they

will choose to quit and move to another media: “If I

can’t tolerate it anymore, it means that, in the end, I

have “prostituted” my profession for the owner's

interest, something that has nothing to do with the

public. This profession (journalist) is closely related

to the public interest” (R2). “To date I have been

staying because -I think- I’m still in a natural or

common stage. If the situation is getting worse then

I will decide to quit and move to a more respectable

journalistic organisation. For example, they want us

to write news-stories that strongly discredit

someone. No, I refuse to do that” (R4).

This is in line with what Vivian (2001, p. 248)

states, in that journalists who experience an

ideological clash with the media owner have three

choices. Two of them are being obedient to the

direction of the media owner, and the other is

quitting and moving to another respectable media.

5 CONCLUSION

This paper examines how journalists interpret the

verification of information in the post-truth era. The

findings of this study reveal that verification remains

important despite the ideological dynamics in the

newsroom. Verification is done in layers to reveal

the truth of information. The interests of the media

owners do exist in the selection of issues and events

that will be covered for publication to the public.

The personal value of journalists also influences

their journalistic work. However, discussions are

ICoCSPA 2018 - International Conference on Contemporary Social and Political Affairs

still possible in the newsroom when the

contradiction of ideologies between journalists and

media owners occurs. Therefore, journalists choose

to stay in the media where they are working for

various reasons, such as economic and social factors.

Journalists will tend to quit and move to another

media if the ideological contradiction cannot be

tolerated anymore.

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In the Midst of Truth